Display carton with automatic spring flaps



March 1, 1960 F. A. MAGUIRE DISPLAY CARTON WITH AUTOMATIC SPRING FLAPS Filed Oct. 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -g" \KQQRfi-BE l0 FrederzJc/c J1 Ma mire ATTORNEY INVENTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY fl 417mm e M. v-

ATTORNE E'ederick F. A. MAGUIRE DISPLAY CARTON WITH AUTOMATIC SPRING FLAPS March 1, 1960 Filed Oct. 25, 1957 shipment and which is easily United States Patent 1 DISPLAY CARTON WITH AUTOMATIC SPRING FLAPS Frederick A. Maguire, Pompton Plains, N J., assignoryby mesne assignments, to Mead Containers, Inc., Norwood,

Ohio,-a corporation of Ohio Application October 23. 1957,Serial No. 691,993 7 Claims. (Cl; 206-45) One ofthe objects of thepresent invention is to providean improved display stand formerchandise having a "display case telescoped in an enclosing casing during and quickly set up by merely' pulling the inner display case upwardly with respect to an outer casing.

Another object is toprovide a display stand of the type indicated in which seat forming flaps on the outer casing automatically spring to an operative. position underlying the inner display case when the latter is raised.

Another object is to provide a display stand of the type indicated which limits the upward movement of the inner display case with respect to the outer casing. 1

Antitherobject is to provide a display stand of the type indicatedhaving aconstruction which facilitates the man- .ualextension ofthe inner 'display case with respectto the outercasing.

"Still another object is to typeindicatedwhich is of relativelysimple and compact construction, reliable in operation and adapted for economical manufacture. H g

In thisspecificatiQn and accompanying drawings Iha've shown anddescrlibed a preferred embodiment of my inthis embodiment is, not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention. On the contrary, the embodiment is illustrated in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in. practical use so that they may modify and adapt it in various forms each as may be best suitedto the conditions of a particular use.

fIn the drawings:

'Figure 1' is a'perspective'viewof a display stand incorporating the "novel features "of the present invention and shown in' the shipping container in which it is transported;

provide a display stand of the.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the display stand when removed from the shipping container and showing the display case telescoped in an enclosing casing;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the display case pulled upwardly in the casing and the seat forming wings on the casing automatically actuated to underlie the display case;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the casing blank and showing the resilient cords connected to the seat forming wings;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure :20 and forming a lap 3 to show the slot and lug construction tolimit theupward movement of the display case relative to the casing;

Figure 6 is a sectional plan view taken on line 6 6 fFigure 5 to'show the seat forming wings resiliently actuated to underlie the display case; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the seat forming wings held in overlapping folded relationship between the sides of the display case and casing.

One embodiment of a display stand incorporating the present invention is illustrated in the drawings as comprising a casing 10 constituting a base and a display case 11 adapted to be supported in the open top of the base'to display merchandise at a level whichwill catch the eye of prospectivepurchasers. During shipment the display case 11, with or without themerchandise contained therein,- is telescoped in the casing 10 to reduce the volume of the stand. The telescopedfcasing 10 and display case 11 are enclosed in a shipping container 12'indicated by dash lines in Figure l. When the display stand is delivered to the place where it is to be used, the shipping container 12 is opened, as illustrated in Figure 1, and thedisplay stand removed therefrom as Display case 11 is then merely raised Withrespecfto casing 10 as illustrated in Figure 3 to set up the display stand.-

Casing 10 is an open rectangular tube having opposed front and back panels Band 15 and opposed side panels "14 and 16. Thecasingisformed from a flat blank as illustrated in Figure 4 scored on fold lines 17, 18,19 and strip 21. Flap'extensions 22 and 24 project from the top of panels 13 a'ndlS and flap extensions23 and 25 project from the top of panels 14 and16. The flap extension 24 is cut to form a slot26 extending downwardly from its outer'edge. It will a'lsobe observed thatthe fiapextensions 23 and 25 'have"lateral extensions at their upper edgeforrnedby material c'nt from adjacent flaps 22 and 24. Eachfiap extension 23 and 25 is cut inwardly from its outer edgeslunder the lateral extensionsto form wings'30 and 3l"adapte'd'to fold inwardly on scoreilines i 32 and 33. As "shown in Figure 4, thewingsliid anon on eachflap xtensionl' '23 and 25 are connectddby 'aresilient'means such as'an elastic cord 34. "Shortfiap extensions 35 and 36 also project from the bottom of the side panels 14 'and IG The blank is folded on the score lines 17 to20 and'the lap strip 21 is glued to the edge-of panel 15'to form .the open rectangular casing 10. Flap extensions '22 toi2 4 are then folded into the open casing against 'thei inside faces-of the panels 13to15,seeFiguresE-and 5, arid the flap extensions 35 and 36farelfolded inwardly'toward e'ach other as shown inFigure 2. Wings 30 and 3l on the inwardly folddflap extensions'23 and-ZS-are folded one over'the other against'the tension of resilient cords 34 at eachside'of the casing 10 in the manner shoW-n in Figure 7 before the display case 11 is inserted in the casing which then holds the wings in their folded relationship.

Display .case '11 also is .of rectangular box-like form and made from a blank in a: manner similar to the-casing 10. The 'display case 11 has front and rear panels 40 and 42 and side panels 41 and "43. Right angular cross partitions 44 and 45 extend between the frontand rear panels 40, 42 and side panels 41, 43, respectively, see Figure 3, to strengthen the structure. The front panel 40 is of less height than rear panel 42 and the top edges of the side panels 41 and 43 slant upwardly and then extend rearwardly from the front to the rear panels. A flap extension 46 of the front panel 40 is folded downwardly, rearwardly and upwardly to provide the stepped shelves 47 and 48 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 which are supported by the cross partitions 44 and 45. The stepped shelves 47 and 48 are adapted to. display merchandise in its open top.

a unit as illustrated in Figure 2r form a hand grip 51 at each side.

Each side panel 41 and 43 of the display case 11 also has flap extensions 49 and 1 which are folded inwardly and downwardly in overlapping relationship. The side panels 41 and 43 and overlapping flap extensions 49 and 50 each have oval shaped openings cut therein to Display case 11 is of a greater height than the casing 10 so that the-hand grips 51 at each side project upwardly beyond the casing as shown in Figure 2. I

The rearward panel 42 of display case 11 is slotted adjacent its lower edge to form a tab 52 which is folded rearwardly and upwardly. When the display case 11 is positioned in the casing 10 thetab 52 is aligned with the slot'26 in flap extension 24. Thus, the engagement of the tab 52 on the display case 11 with the end of the slot 26 in the casing will limit the upward movement of the display case.

When the display stand is received, the display case 11 is telescoped in the casing 10, the flap extensions 35 and 36 are folded inwardly and the Wings 30 and 31 on each inwardly folded flap extension 23 and 25 are folded one over the other and held in folded relationship against the tension of elastic cord 34 by the side panels 41 and 43 of the display case. The flap extensions 35 and 36 are first folded outwardly from the position illustrated in Figure 2 to that illustrated in Figure 5 to provide foot grips on which a person may stand. The grips 51 are then engaged by the hands and the display case 11 raised with respect to the casing 10 from the position illustrated in Figure 2 to that illustrated in Figure 3. The upward movement of display case 11 is limited by the engagement of rearwardly projecting tab 52 with the end of the 'slot 26 in flap extension 24, see Figure 3. When the display case 11 reaches the end of its upward movement, it releases the wings 30 and 31 on the opposite flap extensions 23 and 25 which automatically spring inwardly under the tension of resilient cords 34. Inwardly extending wings 30 and 31 then underlie the lower edges of the side panels 41 and 43 of the display case 11 to hold it in its raised position.

It will now be observed that the present invention provides a display stand having separate parts which may be easily and quickly set up by merely raising one part with respect to the other. It will also be observed that the present invention provides seats on a base which are automatically actuated to support a display case when the latter is raised with respect to the base. It will still further be observed that the present invention provides a display stand which is of simple and compact construction, reliable in operation and adapted for economical manufacture.

While a single embodiment of the invention is herein illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limitation in this respect, the invention isdefined by the following claims: 7

I claim:

1. A display stand comprising an outer box-like casing having an open top, an inner display case enclosed in and closely fitting the interior of the outer casing and adapted to telescope outwardly therefrom to form a stand, said inner display case having a shelf adjacent its top to support and display merchandise at the top of the stand, pivoted wings on the outer casing at opposite sides of the inner display case and folded between and arranged in parallel relation to, the side walls of the outer casing and inner display case, and a separate spring means tensioned by the folded wings at each side to automatically actuate the pivoted wings when released by the display case as it is raised outwardly with respect to the outer casing to provide seats for supporting the display case at level.

2. A display stand in accordance with claim 1 in which handles are provided at the upper edge of the display case for raising the latter relative to the outer casing.

3. A display stand in accordance with claim 1 in which two opposed side walls of the display case project upwardly beyond the outer casing, and said upwardly projecting side walls having slots formed therein to provide handles for raising the display case with respect to the outer casing.

4. A display stand in accordance with claim 1 in which handles are provided adjacent the upper edge of the display case for raising the latter relative to the outer casing, and flaps projecting outwardly from the bottom of two opposed side walls of the outer casing for holding it with the feet while the display case is being raised with the hands.

5. A display stand in accordance with claim 1 in which the wings are formed in fiap extensions of the side walls of the outer casing and folded into the outer casing against the side walls, said pivoted wings being folded one over the other between the side walls of the inner display case and outer casing, and a resilient cord connecting the folded over wings to cause them to spring inwardly when released by the display case as it is raised with respect to the outer container.

6. A display stand in accordance with claim 5 in which flap extensions are provided at the opposite end of the side walls of the'outer casing from the first mentioned flap extensions which fold outwardly to provide foot grips when the display case is raised.

7. A display stand comprising an outer casing having opposite side panels with flap extensions folded into the casing against the panels, an inner display case having an open top and adapted to support and display merchandise, said display case being telescoped in and adapted to slide upwardly from the outer casing to form a stand, wings on said flap extensions between the side walls of the outer casing and inner display case and adapted to fold inwardly to provide seats for supporting the display case when the latter is raised relative to the outer casing, and an elastic cord connected to the wings at each side to automatically actuate the wings inwardly when released by the display case during its upward movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,085,188 Arnold Ian. 27, 1914 1,881,224 Nuckols Oct. 4, 1932 1,964,294 Macdonald June 25, 1934 2,240,282 Beaman Apr. 29, 1941 2,257,188 Page Sept. 30, 1941 2,745,543 Broderick May 15, 1956 a higher 

